Leeds United have delivered their biggest announcement of the year with confirmation of Marcelo Bielsa’s new contract at Elland Road.
The head coach is into his fourth campaign in West Yorkshire and has overseen more games in charge of the Whites than with any other club or country in his career.
While there were hopes throughout the club the announcement would not come as late as last season’s (the day before the 2020/21 opener in Liverpool), the good news has again come on the eve of a new campaign.
The 66-year-old has signed a one-year contract, just as he has done in each of his previous three summers in Leeds.
Naturally, the announcement is expected to go down a storm with the club’s fan base, who have watched one of United’s finest bosses reinvigorate the outfit and the city.
From mid-table in the Championship at the end of 2017/18, Bielsa took Leeds to third and the play-offs within 12 months before finally escaping the second tier with the division title.
Then last season, competing with some of the richest clubs in world football, he took the newly-promoted Whites to ninth in the Premier League.
Only 12 men have taken charge of more United games than Bielsa, only nine have overseen more wins, only seven have overseen more clean sheets and only Don Revie has overseen a higher win percentage (aside from one of Neil Redfearn’s four-game stints).
Bielsa takes charge of his 141st game on Saturday when the Whites visit Manchester United.
